The primary emphasis of this proposal is to define compounds which will reduce or "antagonize" the various pharmacological effects displayed by ethanol including sleeping time after high doses, behavioral activation (inhibition) after moderate doses and withdrawal and dependence after chronic administration. Our approach also includes studies of the neurochemical and behavioral effects induced by ethanol and the antagonists. By examining the possibility that the antagonism of one action of ethanol might lead to the antagonism of other actions, we hope to elucidate whether ethanol exerts its various actions on a common neural system(s) or if each effect produced by alcohol represents an action on different neural systems depending on the dose. In other work, the action of alcohol in neonatal rats will be examined to determine if this treatment has any detrimental effects on development. It is hoped that this research will have direct relevance to various aspects of alcohol abuse--acute alcohol overdose, management of ethanol craving during abstinence and symptomatic relief during withdrawal from physical dependence.